Persuasion (Webster's Thesaurus Edition)

346 Pages·2006·3.01 MB·English

by  Jane Austen

PERSUASION

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Jane Austen

PSAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT is a registered trademark of the College
Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE, AP and Advanced Placement are registered
trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book
nor endorses this book, LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither
sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.
Persuasion

Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Jane Austen

PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered trademark of the
College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are
registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book,
GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated
with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council
which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.
ICON CLASSICS

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Persuasion: Webster’s Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®, GMAT®, and AP® English
Test Preparation

This edition published by ICON Classics in 2005
Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright ©2005 by ICON Group International, Inc.
Edited by Philip M. Parker, Ph.D. (INSEAD); Copyright ©2005, all rights reserved.

All rights reserved. This book is protected by copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a
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PSAT® is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book;
SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses
this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the
Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT® is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither
affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law
School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights
reserved.

ISBN 0-497-25283-X
iii

Contents

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR..........................................................................................1

CHAPTER 1......................................................................................................................3

CHAPTER 2....................................................................................................................11

CHAPTER 3....................................................................................................................17

CHAPTER 4....................................................................................................................25

CHAPTER 5....................................................................................................................31

CHAPTER 6....................................................................................................................41

CHAPTER 7....................................................................................................................51

CHAPTER 8....................................................................................................................61

CHAPTER 9....................................................................................................................71

CHAPTER 10...................................................................................................................79

CHAPTER 11...................................................................................................................89

CHAPTER 12...................................................................................................................97

CHAPTER 13.................................................................................................................113

CHAPTER 14.................................................................................................................121

CHAPTER 15.................................................................................................................129

CHAPTER 16.................................................................................................................137

CHAPTER 17.................................................................................................................145

CHAPTER 18.................................................................................................................155

CHAPTER 19.................................................................................................................167

CHAPTER 20.................................................................................................................175

CHAPTER 21.................................................................................................................185

CHAPTER 22.................................................................................................................205

CHAPTER 23.................................................................................................................221

CHAPTER 24.................................................................................................................239

GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................245

Jane Austen 1

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR

Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on
standardized tests, Webster’s paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently
assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this
edition of Persuasion by Jane Austen was edited for students who are actively building their
vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT®, SAT®, AP® (Advanced Placement®), GRE®,
LSAT®, GMAT® or similar examinations.1

Webster’s edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of
synonyms and antonyms for difficult and often ambiguous English words that are encountered in
other works of literature, conversation, or academic examinations. Extremely rare or idiosyncratic
words and expressions are given lower priority in the notes compared to words which are “difficult,
and often encountered” in examinations. Rather than supply a single synonym, many are provided
for a variety of meanings, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of the English language,
and avoid using the notes as a pure crutch. Having the reader decipher a word’s meaning within
context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not
already highlighted on previous pages. If a difficult word is not noted on a page, chances are that it
has been highlighted on a previous page. A more complete thesaurus is supplied at the end of the
book; Synonyms and antonyms are extracted from Webster’s Online Dictionary.

Definitions of remaining terms as well as translations can be found at www.websters-online-
dictionary.org. Please send suggestions to [email protected]

The Editor
Webster’s Online Dictionary
www.websters-online-dictionary.org
1 P S A T ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f t h e College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered trademark of the
College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are
registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book,
GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated
with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council
which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.

Jane Austen 3

CHAPTER 1

Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his
own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage; there he found
occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his
faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited
remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from
domestic affairs changed naturally into pity and contempt as he turned over the
almost endless creations of the last century; and there, if every other leaf were
powerless, he could read his own history with an interest which never failed.
This was the page at which the favourite volume always opened:

"ELLIOT OF KELLYNCH HALL.%

"Walter Elliot, born March 1, 1760, married, July 15, 1784, Elizabeth,
daughter of James Stevenson, Esq. of South Park, in the county of
Gloucester, by which lady (who died 1800) he has issue Elizabeth, born
June 1, 1785; Anne, born August 9, 1787; a still-born son, November 5,
1789; Mary, born November 20, 1791."

Thesaurus
contempt: (n, v) scorn; (v) despise; (n) unconcerned, unaffected. susceptible, emotional, elated,
disrespect, derision, mockery, faculties: (n) mother wit. interested.
disregard, ridicule, shame, slight, powerless: (adj) impotent, unable, sensations: (n) feelings, vibrations,
reproach, discourtesy. ANTONYMS: feeble, incapable, ineffective, ambiance.
(n) approval, admiration, regard, ineffectual, infirm, inefficient, unwelcome: (adj) undesirable,
honor, esteem. nerveless, weak, prostrate. objectionable, unpopular, unasked,
distressed: (adj) worried, distraught, ANTONYMS: (adj) powerful, strong, unwished, unintroduced, unvisited,
anxious, sad, disturbed, downcast, effective, capable, able. uninvited, unpleasant; (adj, n)
hurt, distracted, wretched, shocked, remnant: (n) end, relic, remains, disagreeable, unsatisfactory.
troubled. ANTONYMS: (adj) residue, fragment, leftover, survival, ANTONYMS: (adj) welcome,
composed, content, euphoric, happy, trace, oddment, balance, stub. desirable, gratifying, wanted,
comforted, glad, joyful, collected, roused: (adj) excited, awake, fortunate.
4 Persuasion
Precisely such had the paragraph originally stood from the printer's hands;
but Sir Walter had improved it by adding, for the information of himself and his
family, these words, after the date of Mary's birth-- "Married, December 16, 1810,
Charles, son and heir of Charles Musgrove, Esq. of Uppercross, in the county of
Somerset," and by inserting most accurately the day of the month on which he
had lost his wife.%
Then followed the history and rise of the ancient and respectable family, in
the usual terms; how it had been first settled in Cheshire; how mentioned in
Dugdale, serving the office of high sheriff, representing a borough in three
successive parliaments, exertions of loyalty, and dignity of baronet, in the first
year of Charles II, with all the Marys and Elizabeths they had married; forming
altogether two handsome duodecimo pages, and concluding with the arms and
motto:--"Principal seat, Kellynch Hall, in the county of Somerset," and Sir
Walter's handwriting again in this finale:--
"Heir presumptive, William Walter Elliot, Esq., great grandson of the second
Sir Walter."
Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot's character; vanity
of person and of situation. He had been remarkably handsome in his youth; and,
at fifty-four, was still a very fine man. Few women could think more of their
personal appearance than he did, nor could the valet of any new made lord be
more delighted with the place he held in society. He considered the blessing of
beauty as inferior only to the blessing of a baronetcy; and the Sir Walter Elliot,
who united these gifts, was the constant object of his warmest respect and
devotion.
His good looks and his rank had one fair claim on his attachment; since to
them he must have owed a wife of very superior character to any thing deserved
by his own. Lady Elliot had been an excellent woman, sensible and amiable;
whose judgement and conduct, if they might be pardoned the youthful
infatuation which made her Lady Elliot, had never required indulgence
afterwards.--She had humoured, or softened, or concealed his failings, and
promoted his real respectability for seventeen years; and though not the very

Thesaurus
amiable: (adj) friendly, genial, indulgence: (adj, n) gratification, presumptive: (adj) credible, specious,
agreeable, benign, complaisant, delight; (n) allowance, extravagance, presumable, putative, apparent, easy
sweet, cordial, pleasant, likable, nice, debauchery, hobby, tolerance, of belief, circumstantial, ben trovato,
lovely. ANTONYMS: (adj) luxury, enjoyment, leniency, pardon. colorable; (adj, v) hypothetical; (v)
disagreeable, argumentative, ANTONYMS: (n) denial, virtue, conjectural.
aggressive, antisocial, unkind, intolerance, uprightness, necessity, sheriff: (n) Lord Lieutenant, constable,
hateful, mean, quarrelsome, rude, indifference, dismay, severity. shrieve, peace officer, officer of the
surly, cold. infatuation: (adj) devotion, law, officer, police officer, law officer.
baronet: (n) baronetcy, aristocrat, Bart. fascination, enchantment, gross valet: (n) man, attendant, lackey,
baronetcy: (n) baronet, rank, title. credulity; (adj, n) passion, fervor, butler, flunkey, manservant, waiter,
duodecimo: (adj) twelvemo; (n) fanaticism; (n) crush, idolatry, love, gentleman, livery servant, servant,
sextodecimo, octodecimo. hobby. ANTONYM: (n) indifference. retainer.
Jane Austen 5
happiest being in the world herself, had found enough in her duties, her friends,
and her children, to attach her to life, and make it no matter of indifference to her
when she was called on to quit them. --Three girls, the two eldest sixteen and
fourteen, was an awful legacy for a mother to bequeath, an awful charge rather,
to confide to the authority and guidance of a conceited, silly father. She had,
however, one very intimate friend, a sensible, deserving woman, who had been
brought, by strong attachment to herself, to settle close by her, in the village of
Kellynch; and on her kindness and advice, Lady Elliot mainly relied for the best
help and maintenance of the good principles and instruction which she had been
anxiously giving her daughters.%
This friend, and Sir Walter, did not marry, whatever might have been
anticipated on that head by their acquaintance. Thirteen years had passed away
since Lady Elliot's death, and they were still near neighbours and intimate
friends, and one remained a widower, the other a widow.
That Lady Russell, of steady age and character, and extremely well provided
for, should have no thought of a second marriage, needs no apology to the
public, which is rather apt to be unreasonably discontented when a woman does
marry again, than when she does not; but Sir Walter's continuing in singleness
requires explanation. Be it known then, that Sir Walter, like a good father,
(having met with one or two private disappointments in very unreasonable
applications), prided himself on remaining single for his dear daughters' sake.
For one daughter, his eldest, he would really have given up any thing, which he
had not been very much tempted to do. Elizabeth had succeeded, at sixteen, to
all that was possible, of her mother's rights and consequence; and being very
handsome, and very like himself, her influence had always been great, and they
had gone on together most happily. His two other children were of very inferior
value. Mary had acquired a little artificial importance, by becoming Mrs Charles
Musgrove; but Anne, with an elegance of mind and sweetness of character,
which must have placed her high with any people of real understanding, was
nobody with either father or sister; her word had no weight, her convenience
was always to give way-- she was only Anne.

Thesaurus
bequeath: (n, v) will; (v) leave, give, intrust, consign, rely, charge, disgruntled, malcontent, unsatisfied,
pass on, demise, entrust, endow, unbosom, whisper, lean, hope. dissatisfied, displeased, miserable,
devise, transmit, remember, donate. ANTONYMS: (v) suppress, keep, put out, ungratified. ANTONYMS:
ANTONYMS: (v) disown, withdraw, conceal, retain. (adj) pleased, satisfied, happy,
take. deserving: (adj) meritorious, content.
conceited: (adj) arrogant, cocky, vain, admirable, creditable, commendable, singleness: (n) sincerity,
boastful, proud, smug, affected, laudable, fit, good, deserved, bachelorhood, bachelorship,
assuming, egotistical, haughty, condign; (v) deserve, worthy of. unmarried, single, loyalty, oneness,
pompous. ANTONYMS: (adj) ANTONYMS: (adj) unworthy, spinsterhood, concentration, unity,
modest, insecure, meek, selfless, undeserving, unimpressive. straightforwardness.
unassuming. discontented: (adj, v) querulous, widower: (n) adult male, widowman,
confide: (v) commit, trust, entrust, complaining; (adj) disaffected, man.